March 7th - Rapa Nui - continued
Our first day in Rapa Nui had focussed on the major
important sites. Our second day in Rapa Nui was looking at the exceptions and
unusual Maoi as well as some of the local geology and its significance in Rapa
Nui history.
We started with a visit to a Maoi in one of the small
harbours the local fishing vessels use. It is also the location of the only
Rapa Nui Chilean coastguard boat which is just a large zodiac, not nearly
enough to prevent overfishing in these waters by large vessels.
There is a proposal to make an area of ocean a marine
reserve to protect both from overfishing and to provide safe nurseries for the
local fish and a source of line fishing for local Rapa Nui small boat
fishermen.
From there on to a site Te Peu with 5 stone Maoi heads with
a difference.
These are the only ones facing outwards and the significance
here is that they are perfectly aligned with the winter & spring solstice
and are facing the direction of Tahiti where it is believed by the Rapa Nui
that their ancestors came from following a dream the king had. The Polynesians
believe dreams are the way the dead communicate with them and took this dream
as a message. They set off in large canoes are arrived at Anakaren which we
visited yesterday.
They believe these Maoi are facing back towards their
homeland channeling the Mana (power) of their ancestors.
Next stop was the quarry at Puna Pau where the red stone
that was used for the topknots of the Maoi was from. This is the only location
in the island to have this red volcanic stone. The Rapa Nui believed that
anything to do with the head signified power and status (hence the stone head
Maoi’s) and therefore a topknot of special coloured stone was seen as extra
status.
This even extended to their early dealings with foreigners,
when a sign of high status was a sailors hat !
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| Female Maoi - The only one on the island |
All of the Maoi so far had been male as they were the
leaders of the clan, so our next stop at Vinapu was one of the unusuals – a
female Maoi. These were apparently very rare during the Maoi period.
At a point in history, the resources on the island became
scarce. All the trees had been used, rats had destroyed the palms that produced
coconuts and the islanders began warring over the scarce resources. At this
point the Maoi carving ceased as they no longer had the time or resources to
afford it. As part of the war, many
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| Maoi pushed over in their war |
Maoi
were toppled by enemies as a way of dishonouring an enemies ancestors.
After the war, the people were so poor and enslaved, they
turned against the ancestors for not looking after them and giving them good
Manu and they then toppled their own families Maoi’s.
The island was annexed by Chile in 1888 and they then rented
it and all the inhabitants to a British company called Williamson & Balfour
and they populated the island with sheep and virtually enslaved the local
population through to 1953. (Another
embarrassed to be British moment in our travels..)
At this time the islanders were so unhappy, many of them
left the island in canoes to look for new lives and there is a memorial to some
of these at the little harbour we visited first today. Many were lost at sea.
The nearest island is the Pitcairns 2000km away half way to Tahiti which is 4000
km away and mainland Chile and the Galapagos Islands both 3500km away.
It really brings home the vastness of the ocean when you
travel for 5 hours by plane and see no land at all and these seas are high
swell & rough.
Our last stop for today was Rano Kau and Orongo. Rano Kau is
the largest volcanic crater on the island, which is completely volcanic with
many small craters. It was just stunning, filled with fresh water and a
complete eco system of its own from seeds dropped by birds etc. It had oranges,
mangos, avocado and a locally used herb which when tested by biologists proved
to have natural antibiotic properties and is now used in drugs to help prevent
organ rejection after transplants.
Until the 1960’s the local people used to bring their
washing up here and climb down the track into the crater to use the fresh water
for their washing. They would then dry it on the rocks and spend the day there
eating fruit and enjoying the area.
It has the most tranquil atmosphere, it is easy to see why
it was seen as such an important site for the Rapa Nui people.
It was also significant in the Birdman ceremony, which evolved
after the belief in ancestors faltered as a way of identifying the family or
clan that should rule the island for the next year.
The strongest warrior from each clan would in the spring
when the birds nested on Moto Nui island, join a competition where they had to
climb down the outside of the crater to the sea, swim to Moto Nui island, stay
there for several days until the sooty terns laid their eggs, then they strap
the first egg to their head, swim back and climb back up the crater. First one
back is the Birdman for that year.
A temporary village called Orongo at the edge of the crater opposite the island came
into use each year for the family chiefs and supporters to use during the
competition.
Not a game for sissies, they had no climbing aids, tried to
knock each other off the cliff, the seas are very rough with huge breakers onto
the rocks and all of this with a fragile egg.
The head of the family that the victorious Birdman came from
would manage the islands resources and rule for one year until the next
competition.
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Birdman carvings -
Annual event that lasted many years |
By this time we were again melting in the hot afternoon sun,
so we called it a day and headed into downtown Hanga Roa for home made ice
cream.
Only 28c but the air is rare and the UV index maximum and with the high humidity made walking a long way tough.
As we walked through, the local fishermen were unloading a Blue Marlin
just caught from a small canoe.
Once we had cooled off, we headed for the Catholic church
which we had been told to visit to see the representation of Christ and the
Virgin Mary.
When we got there we could see why………they were all Rapa Nui !!
We had decided for our last day to hire a car and get up for
sunrise at Tongariki and then drive round the island to see places we hadn’t
covered. Car hire was mega expensive (captive market !) so we hired the lowest
price we could so we ended up in a Suziki Jimmy 2 door jeep. This was to prove
a painful economy !!
Time for dinner and from recommendations, we found a great
restaurant on the sea with a good table and great fish. Steve and Paul
channelled their inner cocktail drinker and downed some very strong raspberry
mojitos !! Sunset was beautiful &
then they lit a fire and everyone sat round drinking in the glow. Very
special……
Another day in a little paradise island !
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11 Heads of Easter Island
- 4 not working well due to heat |
